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Research Article Volume 10 Issue 3
Active control of base flow and base drag at sonic and supersonic Mach numbers
Ambareen Khan, Mohammad Nishat Akhtar, Sher Afghan Khan
Received: August 02, 2026 | Published: August 19, 2026
Citation: Khan A, Akhtar MN, Khan SA. Active control of base flow and base drag at sonic and supersonic Mach numbers. Aeron Aero Open Access J. 2026;10(3):137-143. DOI: 10.15406/aaoaj.2026.10.00261
Abstract
Base drag constitutes a major fraction of the total drag on aerospace vehicles at sonic and supersonic speeds, arising from the low-pressure, recirculating wake behind a blunt rear face. Reducing it yields large gains in range and payload, motivating the study of base flow control. This study reviews active methods—principally micro-jet injection and base bleed—and evaluates them against established passive techniques. The governing flow physics is examined through shear-layer separation, the dead-air recirculation zone, and the reattachment process that fixes base pressure, characterized via the base pressure coefficient. Drawing on experimental and computational studies of suddenly-expanded ducts and nozzles, the report assesses how active control raises base pressure relative to the uncontrolled baseline and identifies where each method is most effective.
Keywords: base flow, base pressure, active flow control, supersonic; sonic, micro-jet, base bleed, drag reduction
©2026 Khan, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.